Driving mechanism for fans



Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

UNITED TES 1,597,403 PATENT orrica.

LOUIS T. FEEDER, F O'WATONNA, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 'IQ KING VENTILATING COMPANY, OF OWATONNA, MINNESOTA, A CGRPORATION' OF MINNESQTA.

DRIVING MECHANISM non Fans.

Application filed November as, 1924. Serial No. 752,700.

This invention relates particularly to driving mechanism for ventilator fans of the type adapted to be mounted upon the ceilings of creameries or other buildings where it is desirable to withdraw foul air, steam or gases.

It is my object to provide simplemechanism of this kind which is more compact and silent than the mechanism heretofore used for this purpose and at the same time to facilitate proper alignment of a pulley of the mechanism with a pulley on a main drive shaft.

Heretofore it has been common practice to drive the vertical fan shaft of such mechanism by attaching a pulley to the lower end thereof and to obtain the required speed ratio by interposing a horizontal counter shaft between the fan shaft and main drive shaft, the latter shafts being journalled in brackets attached tothe ceiling. In this class of ventilators, belts, one of which must be twisted, are utilized to connect the several shafts. Obviously, this old arrangement of shafts severally driven by belts occupies a comparatively large amount of space and is not durablebecause the twisted belt requires a flanged pulley on the fan shaft which causes rapid wear upon the belt. Old types of driving mechanisms have the further disadvantage of requiring accurate alignment of the driving pulleys at the time when the fan frames are attached to the ceilings. By the present invention, I 0bviate these defects.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the best form of my device at present known to me. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved driving mechanism mounted upon a ceiling; Fig. 2 is abottom -plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail of the gearing and shaft casing with the cover removed and Fig. 4c is a fragmentary side elevation showing the pulleys and belt shifting mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, the frame of my device has a ring 5 adapted to be secured by bolts 6 to a ceiling 7. An annular receptacle 8 formed on the inner periphery of the ring 5 is arranged to receive the lower end of a fine 9 through which the exhaust from the fan is forced. Secured by bolts 10 to the ring 5 is a spider 11 adapted to support a casing 12 for a vertical shaft 13.

A hub 1 1 fast on the upper end of the shaft 13 is arranged to carry a series of fan blades 15. These fan blades 15 are reinforced and maintained in proper position by radial bars 16 fixed in the hub 1-1 and a hoop 17 connecting the outer ends of the blades.

The casing '12 extends through a central aperture 18 in the spider 11 and is formed Journalled in projecting portions 22 and 23 of the casing 12 is a horizontal shaft 24, operatively connected to the vertical shaft 13 by spiral gears 25 and 26. The casing 12 has an enlarged portion .27 containing the spiral gears and is provided with a removable cover 28. An end of the shaft 2 1 projects from the portion 22 of the casing and has a fixed pulley 29 and a freely revoluble pulley 30 mounted thereon. A belt 31 is movable from one of the pulleys to the other by means of guide fingers 32 fixed on an end of a sli'dable rod 33. This rod 33 is supported in a pair of arms 34 extending obliquely downward from the portions 22 and 23 of the casing 12. Suitable set screws are provided to secure the arms upon the casing, and cords or ropes 35 and 36 are attached to the rod 33 and pass through rings 37 in the arms 34, being arranged to be manipulated to shift the belt 31 from one to the other of the pulleys 29 and 30. p In operation the belt 31 is driven by a pulley on the main drive shaft (not shown) and the fan is started by manipulating the cord 36 to move the belt to the pulley 29. This, as will be readily understood, rotates the vertical shaft 13 carrying the fan blades 15 through the spiral gears 25 and 26. These gears are preferably arranged to drive the shaft 13 at twice the speed of the shaft 24. By my arrangement of spiral gears in a closed casing I make it possible to operate the gears packed or immersed in a heavy lubricant and thus obtain an unusually silent driving mechanism.

An important feature ofthe present in To adjustably hold vention is the provision for easy and accurate alignment of the pulleys 29 and 30 with the pulley on the main drive shaft. Thus, after the ring 5, flue 9,and spider 11 have been installed in a building, the nuts on the bolts may be loosened to allow rotation of the casing 12, together with its contents and the pulleys 29 and 30.

Having described my invention What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a ventilator having a vertical shaft and a fan mounted on the upper end of said shaft, of a frame adapted to be attached to the; ceiling of a room to be ventilated, a casing for said shaft arranged to be pivoted horizontally on saidframe, a horizontal shaft extending into said casing and operatively connected with said ver-- tical shaft therein, a drive Wheel on said horizontal shaft, and means for securing said casing: against pivotal movement on:

said frame. V v

to be secured to the ceiling of a room to be ventilated, a casing on the lower endofsaid shaft formed withan annular flange which is pivoted for horizontal, rotation on said frame, means for securing said flange against rotation on said frame, a horizontal shaft journalled in said casing, spiral gears operatively connecting said horizontal and vertical shafts in'said casing, and adrivewheel on said horizontal shaft.

41; In driving mechanism for a ventilating fan, a spider having. a series of arms adapted to be attached at their outer ends to a supportingsurface, ashaft bearing mounted centrally insaid spider, a shaft journalled in said bearing and arranged to drive a-fan at one side of said spider, a second shaft 0peratively connected With said first mentioned shaft on the other side of said spider, means for supporting said second shaft on said spider a da drive pulley fixed on said second shaft.

5. In driving mechanism for a ventilator fan, a spider having a seriesofarms adapted to be att ched atthe r outer ends toasup;

porting surface, a shaft bearing pivotally mounted centrally in saidspider, anannular flange on said bearing, means for adjustablyclamping said flange on said sp der a shaft. yournalled in sa d bearlng and arranged to,

drive a fan at one side of ,saidspider, a gear. housin suonorted on said fian e at the other in r n 0 side of-said spider, a second shaftyjournalled.

insaid housing,- gearing, operatively connecting said first and second mentionedshafts in. said housing, and a drive pulley fired on a;

projectingend of said second shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have. hereunto signed my name to this specificat on.

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